Electric signaling apparatus for railroads.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1908, P. J. MATTER. ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILROADS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.19,1907.

roads, of whic PAUL JULIUS MATTER, OF COSWIG, GERMANY..

No. 886,620. Specification oi Letters Patent.

ELEQTRIC s oneware asseaaaoe son next-scans.

Faten'ted 25a ifs, ices.

Application filed December 19, 1W7. Serial 1%. comes.

My invention relates to improvements in electric signaling apparatus for railroads,

whereby in the event of a train approaching another on the same track, either from front or from behind, a visible signal, and if desired an audible alarm, is given automatic-- ally vto both engine drivers of the impending danger.

' M invention also relates to means whereby t e drivers of the two locomotives may communicate with each other with the aid of the automatic signaling plant.

The signal plant may. also be employed toannounce at railroad stations the arrival of trains and the direction in which they are running.

My invention is illustrated in the at coin panying drawin in which ure '1 is a diagrammatic elevation showing t 1e system of working, and Fig. 2 a diagramma'tic lan. Fig. 3 is .a cross section through the ocornotive. Fi 4 is a perspective vlew of a signal box. figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views of a switching device for use on the locomotive. Fig. 7 is an elevation oi an audible alarm device.

The track A is furnished with a parallel line a, which in the drawing is shown as an overhead line carried by osts I), though it might equally Well lie, for instance, close beside the track A. The line a does not consist of a single .continuousconductor, but is constituted by a succession of sections 0, c, 0 etc'., which are insulated from each other.

For each section 0, 0 etc. a si nal box Z (Fig. 4) is provided, containing our inca'ri descent lamps, two of which g, h are located in the upper part and the other two i, in

the lower part of the box. j The boxes I118.-

eonveriiently be mounted on the posts WhlC-ll cam the line a. The lamps are connected in t 1e following manner: One top and one bottom lamp (h, 11 respectively) of each box are connected by wires j, res ectively with the track A. Such top lamp h) is also connected with a top lamp (g) of the next box (say d which latter lamp (9) is connected with the one end of a section of the line a, the other end of said tics. connected with a bottom lamp (if) of the next box again (it which lamp (7c) is con nected with a bottom rail-connected lamp (clot the'succeedn gbox (al g The locomot ve 1'5 has a dynamo l inount ed on it, one pole of which connected throu h the wheels with a rail oi the track A and ti e other 1 ole by aconductor Z with arod whose trol ey or sliding contact m was on the line a. inl ig. 3 a locomotive isslrown having two rods and contacts m m one for use in each of the two directions ofrunning. '1

Suppose the locomotive B (Fig. 1) to be running in the direction oi the X and to occupy the "ii-081M011 shown. that tw arallei circuits will be closed, viz,

If t Thus behind the locolainps will burn, via. a to one bottom one box 1%. Hence the driver of a train traveling in the direction of the arrow X, whatever section oi the line who may' be it is obvious I passin at the time, always sees the bottom.

part 0 each of the boxes of the-two front sections lighted uo, and likewise the illuminated top part of: each of the boxes of the two rear sections. Naturally it the train is traveling in a direction opposite to that or the arrow X the en "ine driver will, on the other hand, observe liefcre him the top (not the bottom) part of each oi'the boxes of the two front sections illuminated, and behind him the .botto. (not the top) part of each of the boxes of the two rear sections. If, therefore, owing to negligence, or wrong operation of a rail switch or the like, two trains approach on the same traoli, the driver of each will see before him both the top and oottorn of the boxes of the two sections illuminated and he consequently will k i'o wthat there is danger ahead.

Thus suppose a train to be traveling in the direction of the arrow K (Fig; l) and to have arrived at the" section c: the lamp is in oi and i in box d will light up. ll then a train approaches in the opposite direction and reaches the section c the lamp gin: box 03 and h in boxd? will burn. Thus both drivers will see both lamps i h burning in box d? and will thus be warned long in advancefithat is while still separated by two sections of-tile line athat thereis danger impending.

Even should one of the rivers that I of the train traveling in the direction of the central compartment f is provided arrow X OVY100l the danger an d ar rive at the section. 0, the danger signal will still continue to be given to him. For the train which has stopped at the section 0 will continue to light up the lamp {1 in box (1 and lamp 7b in box (Z while the train now at section c will cut in the lamp It in. box d and i in box (Z Thus in both the boxes :1 d the lamps will burn top and bottom and the driver of the approaching train is, it were, doubly Warned of the imminent danger.

The signal boxes may conveniently be con.- structed' as shown in i. The box d has four walls (1 and a glass front and back e Dark yellow or ruby or like should be employed for those windows so that. while the glass normally appears dark it will he brightly illuminated when a lamp burns behind it. The interior of the box is divided into a central compartment j" and two corner compartments f f by means of diagonal part1tions j of metal or other opaque 1naterial. The two said upper lamps g, h are located in the compartment f and the two lower ones i, l: in the cornpartrnentf The r the purpose oi preventing possible confusion due to the sun or moon saining upon the box. For in such event the box would present the appearance of being illuminated by a lamp burning in. both compartmentsf ,f so. that the driver would assume that a danger signal was being given. and would be unnecessarily caused to stop or take other steps to prevent collision. If, however, he sees that not only the top and bottom corners of the box, but also the central portion shows up liiright, he -will at once know that the simultaneous illu minetion of the two corners is not to be interpreted in this case a danger signal, but is due to some extraneous cause, viz. to the rays of the sun or moon.

In the event of a train. approacl'iing an other on the same track from the rotor, the danger signal will be given with equal certainty. For supposing B (Fig. l) to be the locomotive of the front train, the driver on it will see behind him the lamp 9 in box d and lamp h in box d; and when the second train has arrived at the section :1 he will also see the lamp i in box d and lamp 7c in box d, that is to say, the boxes (1, d will be illuininoted both at to and bottom and will thus signal danger to 0th drivers.

Instead of distinguishing thelainps bylocation, the distinction may be made by other means, for example colors; thus for instance the part-of the window in front of the lamps g, It may be of one color, and the part in front of the lamps i, ll of another color.

The drivers of th two "l to stop by the darn, I ,oinnlui'ucate men one; engines A. use

a stitch n (Fig. 3) is inserted in the wire Z.

For by making and breaking circuit they cani cut the lamps in and out so as to transmit messages for instance on the Morse system.

Should there be sharp curves, or embankments or the like obstructing a. clear view of the track, auxiliary lamp boxes may" be located on. the line a between two main boxes. Such auxiliary boxes only require to be furnished with one lamb at each corner. Like auxiliary boxes mi ht be fixed at bridges, leyel crossings ancl like dangerous places, fitted with gl Windows of distinctive color so as to inform the engine driver precisely of the nature of the spot. It may occur at such places that the line or cannot be run the normal height, but must be elevated. The short interruption of the circuit thus caused is, however, of no im' ortance the boxes can be so located that tie contact is promptly made again. The signal boxes d rhay also be employed at railroad stations to indicate the approach of a train and its direction of travel. her this purpose it is merely necessary to fix a box at a convenient part of the station and inscribe on its window at the upper and lower corners respectively, for instance: Train traveling in the direction of In the case of a double track railroad, each track must naturally be provided. with a line a. and signal boxes.

If a train has to stop for any reason at some part of a double track railway and it is dcsired to block not only the track on. which it is standing but also the neighboring track, it is merely necessary for the driver to connect a reserve wire with the line a of the second track, whereby the latter will be blocked just as cll'cctlvely as if the engine were on it.

It may happen that the locomotive gets derailed and the connection at m, a is thus broken. To provide for such emergencies an accun'iulator car may be included in the train, so that a substitute may be at hand for the dynanro. The pole with sliding contact in may insuch case be replaced by a spare wire carried in the car.

/Vhcn the dynamo is driven by the locomotive, so that it ceases to run when the train sto s, an eccunnilator 0 (Fig. 3) may be provider and the wire Z run to it, instead of to the dynamo, when the train is standingstill. The accumulator could be conveniently switched in by employing, a changeover s'witch which is thrown over by the reversing lover of the engine. Or the devices shown in Figs. 3, 5 do 6 might be used. 011 the engine axle 7) there is lreycd a disk p on which there slides the contact spring or brush Z of the conductor l. q is a radial arm on which slides a contact block r QOHlZIOllQil by a spring :4. On the dynamo housing there is provided e prcsontin '1' t il -act ring, tu, winter: ,10 with dynsuuo and the aceulnuistor.

speed to supply the requisite current.

To provide for foggy'weather an audible signal may be combined with the visible one. Such a device is shown in Fig. 7. It consistsof an electromagnet z inserted in a shunt cir-' cuit y of the conductor which connects the lamp g of one signal box with the lamp h of the next box; and of an electric siren or the like a inserted in a shunt w of the conductor connecting the lam 'i of the first said box with the lamp 7r of t e second said box. The armature of the e'lectrornagnet z is pivoted at and comprises two parts at, m separated.

from each other by an insulating stri 1: The shunt y is normally broken. If, iiowever, a current flows through the shunt y, the excited electromagn'et 2 attracts its armature which turns at m and completes the sirencircuit at 1:, r. The siren, however,

. does not sound, since there is no current passing in the shunt It is only when a current flows through both shunts w and y simultaneously that the siren'will sound and. this is obviously only the case if two trains approach on the same track. The entire.

audible alarm apparatus may be 'accommodated within the signal box (I. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new j 1. An automatic railway signaling apparatus, comprising 'a track, a sequence of conductor-sections, insulated from each other, and located beside the track, both ends of each section being connected with it, a lamp connected in circuit at each end of each section, the lamp at the end of one section being located adjacent to the lamp at the com.

mencement of the neighboring section, and a traveling source of electricity always in circult with the track and with one of the sections, substantiall as described.

An automatic railway signaling a paratus, comprising a track, a plurality o signal stations each comprising two distinctive groups of signals, and sectional conductors all insulated from each other, and each-0f wh ch has its ends connected with the track, and each of which connects four lamps in series, namely a lamp of a like signal group at each of two adjacent stations with a lamp of the other signal group at each of the two follow in stations, that portion of the conductor which lies between the two intermediate-- stations constituting a traveling contact wire, all thesaid sectional conductors being so located relatively to each other that the:

contact-portion of each lying between the two intermediate stations of each four consecutive ones together constitute a substantially continuous ,path for a traveling cpntact, a traveling contact, and a traveh source of electricity connected in circuit wit the track and with said traveling contact, substantially as described.

3. An automatic railway signaling apparatus, comprising a track, a sequence of conducto'r sections, insdlated from each other,

and located beside the track, both ends ofeach section being connected with it, alarnp connected in circuit at each end of each section, the lamp at the end of one section being located adjacent to the lamp at" the comrnencement of the neighboring section, and a traveling source of electricity and a switch always connected in circuit with the. track and with a conductor section, substantially as described.

, 4. In combination, a rotary axis, a disk mounted ,fast thereon and having a radial armand a spring actuated contact-block sliding thereon,- two concentric "contactrings against the inner of which .the said block normallyllies, fwhileon rotation of the l disk at a certain speed the. block flies out and contacts with the outer ring, a battery con nected with the inner ring and a dynamo connectedwith the outer one, "ands. contact sliding on the disk and connected in circuit with the battery'and also with the,'d'ynamo,

substantially as described.

5. An automatic railway signalingapparatus, comprising a track, a sequence of conductor-sectiofis, insulated from each other, and located beside the. track, both endsof each section being connected with it, 'alamp connedtedin circuit at each end of each section, the lamp atthe end'offone'section being located adjacent to the lamp at the commencement of the neighborin cuit wit theltrack and with-- one o the sections, an electromagnet shuntediin one secit attracts the armature and causes the contact maker to close the shunt, substantially as described. 5" v I In testimon hereofQ-Iafiix my signature in presence of tw witnesses;

JULrUs MATTER.

Witnesses: j

PAUL ARRAS, CLARE SIMON.

section, a trav'ehn source of electricity a wa s n c1r-' 

